Mordrak
The savage saga of the beast known as Mordrak is a chilling tale and one that resulted in a number of grudges over a long period, spanning generations. It is typical of many such confrontations between the Dwarfs and one of their oldest foes - dragons. Legend holds that Morkdrak, despoiler of Karak Azul, was imprisoned by Kurik Kaznagar and his account is related in a transcription from the Karak Azul Book of Grudges. Kruzdil's Lament Let it be known that in this year that the overground farms at Kragvarn, Brakkzhuf and Gakzorn suffered ruination by fire. Herdmaster Kruzdil reports the loss of two score hruk and three fields of crops including wheat, barley and parsnips, rendered to ash. Of the goatherds, Jorli, Rukinn and Vagrik no sign could be found. A grudge is hereby entered against all three and the line of their clan is summarily besmirched until recompense is made for this negligence. Grobi is suspected of starting the fire. Kruzdil adds in his testimony that he did lead an expedition into the outlying lands, beyond the shadow of the karak, and discovered a small tribe of Greenskins encamped in caves to the south of Brakkzhuf. A grudge is hereby lodged against the Yellow Fang tribe. Kuzril vows to return with clan warriors to exact summary vengeance. On this day does Kruzdil doscer an entire herd of hruk bone carcasses at Kragvarn. A throng of warriors from Thane Burrdrik's clain accompanies Kruzdil. This act satisfies an old debt incurred for a spate of hruk bothering by the thane's kin. The Yellow Fangs are suspected of the slaughter but upon approaching their lair are the grobi's corpses discovered, similarly bereft of flesh and meat. The grobi are burned. The aformentioned grudge against the Yellow Fangs passes to the Red Tooth tribe, known associates of the Yellow Fangs. Than Burrdrik hereby lodges a grudge against Kruzdil and his clan for the needless expense of boot leather and an outbreak of kruti amongst his kin. Fifty pieces of izor are entered into the reckoners' log. Collapse at Grunspire Let it be known that on this day the northern mines of Grunspire collapse. Lodewarden Borri Threkkson records the loss of several rich veins of ore and no less than four tunnels. Kraggi Svengeln, Dorki Baddrikson, Vorlkin Kakki, Drenk Fykison and Yorik Varnskan are all slain. May Grungni watch over them. A grudge is lodged against prospector Svengeln by the Threkkson clan on account of braces described by the accuser as "umgak" and their failure to shore up the tunnels. Recompense is set at two hundred pieces of silven. The Svengeln clan lodge a counter-grudge against the Threkkson clan on behalf of their departed kinsman, Kraggi, for wrongful besmirchment of honour in referring to previous works as "umgak". Recompense is unset until the veracity of the claim can be upheld. Besmirchment of the Svengeln Clan Upon the clearance of the tunnels at Grunspire, Thane-King Kazgar's clan engineer, Fydor Ungulfson, accompanied by a throng of ironbreakers, does conclude that the braces used by the Svengeln were made of stout wutroth, but weakened by aggressive gnawing. The Svengeln clan's (hereby referred to as the "wronged") grudge against the Threkkson's is hereby upheld and thusly the wronged are awarded two hundred pieces of izor and two hundred pieces of silven as recompense for the aforementioned besmirchment by the Threkkson clan. Thane-King Kazgar hereby records a grudge against the rat-kin, clear instigators of the tunnel collapse at Grunspire. Fifty rat-kin tails for each of the slain is set for the promise price as recompense for this fell deed. Retribution for Grunspire Ungaz Ironhammer, ironbeard of the Ironhammer clan does lead a throng of ironbreakers and warriors into the re-established tunnels at Grunspire. A dishevelled horde of rat-kin is discovered easily, whilst harvesting frongol in one of the larger caverns. A great battle erupts as many more of the filthy vermin emerge from hidden Ungdrin tunnels. Badrikk Stoneheart and a group of tunnel fighters of his clan do slay over thirty of the rat-kin, pressing the creatures back with their broad-shield and long-mattocks. Alas, Badrikk is slain whilst reloading his pistol, in a frenzied attack by the vermin. He Will Be Remembered. A hundred rat-tails for his passing. Ungaz accounts for thirteen of the wretched rat things himself, whilst a tally of sixty-three tails is reaped in all, for a loss of three more warriors. Kurik, Badin and Ilfrik Will All Be Remembered. Thirty tails each as recompense for this act. Ungaz notes that the creatures are "petrified" at the appearance of his warriors, their fur "scorched" as if by fire. A further foray into the hidden tunnels from where the vermin launched their ambush reveals rat-kin bone carcasses, at least four-hundred and thirty-one by the count of Loremaster Ruzik. Calamity at the Cave of Mordrak Engineer Godrikson and a party of miners and sappers do venture forth into the tunnels around Grunspire. Many miles into the earth do the dawi dig, many blessings to Morgrim, leading to the discovery of an ancient, long forgotten Ungdrin road. Godrikson describes a mighty girt with walls ground smooth, first believed as if by the frequent passage of some large drilling engine or other such device but clearly not of dwarf manufacture as the tunnel is crudely made and seemingly without function. A mile further and the truth of the girt is revealed upon discovery of a cavern some ten-thousand beard spans, filled with rhun and gorl and galaz. A grudge is lodged against Rittik Halfhand and Beldour Krunnson, rendered insensible by sudden gorl fever, by the Halfhand and Krunnson clans. Rittik falls foul of a sulphur pool, hidden behind a vast treasure pile. Plunging head first into the foul smelling liquid, all that remains of Rittik are his stout boots; both his armour and rhun-pick - an heirloom of the clan - are lost. Beldour, churning through a vast pit of ghalaz, disturbs a mighty mound of gold and is crushed to death as it falls upon him, ignorant of the warnings of Godrikson, so intent is he upon the treasure hoard. Overcoming their own gold lust, Godrickson and his party explore the great cave. The engineer provides the following testimony as to what was found there. Edict of Kazgar This day does Kazgar, Thane-King of Azul declare the drakk, discovered by Godrikson, be found and slain, and the stolen treasures of its horde brought back to the vault of the king. A grudge is also made against Engineer Godrikson for failing to return the treasure horde to the karak. The shame of this deed is set at the worth of four of Godrikson's finest cannons. Thane-King Kazgor does name the beast Mordrak for it is surely a mighty creature, and old beyond reckoning, given the evidence of its hoard and the size of its lair. An expedition of the clan's mightiest warriors is gathered immediately to avenge the deaths of those dawi slain by Mordrak and a grudge is hereby entered against it and all its kind for this fell deed. By the reckoning of ancient Runelord Varic Forgehand tis the very same beast that caused much damage to the former realm of Eight Peaks and a further grudge is lodged against the creature on behalf of the Eight Peaks clans. As such, Thane-King Kazgar has deemed it fitting that warriors representing the wronged clans of Eight Peaks be allowed to join the expedition. Dreng Tromm! A horn is sounded in the deep this most bleak of days for the loss of twenty-five warriors of the Silvenback, Stonecutter and Stoutpeak clans of Karak Eight Peaks; seven slayers of Kadrin; thirty-one brave dawi of Karak Azul from the Dunrakin, Firehand and Ironfinger clans; and for Thane Durik Kaznagar whose oath it was to slay the dragon, Mordrak. None returned from the expedition. Their fates are unrecorded. May Grungni watch over them and Gazul guide them back to the Halls of the Ancestors. A grudge is writ against the beast for the loss of all. May its foul flesh adorn the walls of the Hearth Hall of Azul and its skull be mounted above the great Zhar! Let it be known that upon this day, Thane Kaznagar is entered into the great kron for failing to uphold his oath to slay the beast. May the weight of this deed and the shame of his failure be passed down to his kin and the oath be fulfilled before he may sit at the grand feast table of Grungni. On this day does Thane-King Kazgar order a second expedition into the Ungdrin to discover the fate of Thane Kaznagar and his warriors. Thane Borri Brakkson and some thirty of his most veteran warriors venture into the unknown deeps, together with twenty ironbreakers of the Ironbeard clan and engineers from Clan Flinthand who bring with them an organ cannon drawn by six stout lode ponies. A mere twenty-five winters, Kaznagar's only son, Kurik, was made to stay behind by King Kazgar himself in an effort to becalm the wailing of the long-departed thane's maiden-queen. The journal of Norgrin Nagsson, a lorekeeper who had joined the expeditionary force and submitted for consideration, makes for grim reading. A grudge against the beast, Mordrak for the slaying of no less than fifty-one dwarfs of the clans Ironbeard and Brakkson. A lament is sung in the Third Deep for the passing of Thane Borri Brakkson. For the loss of an organ cannon, the Engineers' Guild does hereby demand five hundred pieces of gorl and two hundred of izor from the Flinthand clan. A further grudge is lodged by the Flinthands against the dwarfs of Grey Mountains and the Goldhoarder clan for the supply of weak-willed lode ponies. Recompense for this deed is set at five hundred pieces of izor and a grudge by the Engineers' Guild, formerly the responsibility of the Flinthand clan, deferred to the Goldhoarder's for the loss of the aforementioned organ cannon. Kurik makes his Oath Kurik Kaznagar does on this day take the slayer's vow and swear to avenge the death of his thane and father by vanquishing the beast, Mordrak, and fulfilling well-remembered oaths. He is joined at the shrine of Grimnir by dwarfs of the Flinthand clan as penance for their lack of courage when facing the drakk. Thane King Kazgar does agree to an expedition, led by Kurik, into the Ungdrin beneath the karak to at last destroy the beast. After meeting with the Council of Elders, it is decided that the rhun vaults of the karak be opened. Venerable Rune Lord Ganngrim Ironforge awakens the fabled Drakkaz-treng, and invoking the favour of Thungni does present it to Kurik. May it taste dragon-flesh again! Source * : Grudgelore ** : pg. 23 ** : pg. 24 ** : pg. 25 ** : pg. 28 ** : pg. 29 ** : pg. 30 ** : pg. 31 ** : pg. 32 Category:Fire Dragons Category:Karak Azul Category:Warhammer Characters Category:M